It was not many years ago that hundreds of thousands of homeowners were taking advantage of the low introductory payments offered through interest only loans while real estate values skyrocketed in many parts of the country. After the recent mortgage meltdown and housing crisis the heyday of interest only loans are probably well in our rearview mirror. Today, many lenders have stopped offering any interest only mortgage programs and some states have made them illegal. Like many riskier loan products, interest only loans earned a less than stellar reputation as default rates for these products were higher than most fully amortizing loan programs.
How Do Most Interest Only Loans Work?
First, let’s examine how most interest only loans function in the residential mortgage marketplace. Most interest only loan (IO) payments are based upon a 30 year amortization schedule. Each loan has a specific introductory period (usually 3 to 15 years) where only the interest portion of one’s monthly payment is required. After that period has expired, the loan is then fully amortized over the remaining years of the loan where both principal and interest portions must be paid to the lender. In short, your 30 year principal repayment period would now be pushed into a 25 year window. The result is a large increase in monthly debt obligations.
So, Why Consider and Interest Only Mortgage?
Like most financial instruments there are plenty of good attributes to interest only loans as long as they are used appropriately. Five years ago it was possible to obtain an interest only mortgage with zero money out of pocket. As one would imagine, the home owner who took out that mortgage is not going to be in good shape if their home dropped in value (which it likely did). Add in the risk on an adjustable rate into the mix and you have a recipe for trouble. Ok, enough doom and gloom. If you have a substantial down payment or amount of equity, are planning on being in your home for under ten years, and the interest rate environment makes interest only loans appealing, it may be worth exploring. Why? As most traditional 30 year mortgages amortize, the interest portion on the mortgage repayment is heavily front loaded into the top half of the loan. Meaning, you are paying a disproportionate amount of interest every month during the early stages of your mortgage. If you are a good money manager or work with a financial professional with a proven track record of being able to out produce the percentage of interest associated on your mortgage, you may be better off using what you would have been paying in principal towards alternative investment strategies or paying off higher interest debt obligations. Plus, you can typically make principal reduction payments whenever you wish.
There are obviously reasons why banks and lenders have pulled out of the market and why some governments have disallowed interest only loans in their states. Still, with the right borrower, under the right set of circumstances an interest only loan can be the perfect fit. Always be sure to consult a seasoned and licensed mortgage professional before making any home financing decision. Only consumers who are educated and confident money managers should consider interest only loans as an alternative. Consumers should also make sure that they are in solid financial footing and that they could handle the monthly principal and interest payments if their interest only period ends and they found in themselves in a position where they could not refinance (i.e. being between jobs).
About the Author
Nat Criss is the President of Wilmington SEO & Marketing, Inc, helping mortgage lenders and brokers promote their brands and products, such as interest only mortgages, online.